All Hail Hank

With Pablo in Vegas the starting field was seven, and three players split two different chip bonus (although Pablo didn't make it, the 250 he was splitting for tying Candy in points was still chopped).


Bearded Mike knocked Phil out early and took Brandon's chips as well to build a huge stack. Candy finished off a depleted Tim and despite being third in chips Hank promised a win. Of course, heads-up wound up between him and Mike, with Sean cashing in third.



Bearded Mike started with not quite a two-to-one chip advantage, which quickly swung to Hank. After a long series of KCL took a large chunk out of a steaming Mike, the players took a brief break. The key hand (above) had Mike AI against Hank who had taken the lead in the hand. A call would have left Hank with only about 3,000 chips, but he eventually laid down the 6 in ace-to-five. Fittingly, the last hand of the TOC was another A-to-5 hand.

Sean Becomes First Male Repeat Winner of the Fall

We had a fairly small event for Hold'em - so small Bak had no chance to make the Top 8 since not points were on the line.

While the field was relatively narrow for the final event of the season, the game was suspenseful. Three players were in jeopardy of missing the cut, and others looked to move up and add chips to their TOC stack. While Hank was untouchable, second-place Brando held only a narrow two-point lead over Tim. Brando vaulted into second with consecutive cashes in Events 8 through 11.

Meanwhile, the remaining five spots were a proverbial cluster-fuck with only 12 points separating eight from fourth. Frenchie Phil held a slim one-point lead over Sean. Sean went into the final week with an eight-point lead over Bearded Mike, and from there it became very interesting. After 11 events Candy was 17 points out of a top eight spot, and anything less than a top cash in HORSE would seal her fate. She won it, placing her one point ahead of Jim with one event remaining.

Candy’s strong finish made for an interesting situation in the final event. With Pablo’s scheduling conflict, Bearded Mike, Candy, and Jim were left fighting for two remaining TOC spots. Pablo used this dynamic on at least one occasion (but likely more) to bluff Candy off of big hands.

Candy, Jim, and Pablo accounted for half of the players at table two, and Candy and Jim wound up AI against each other several times, but without calls. Jim finally flopped a pair against Hank and got AI. Hank held the top pair with a flush draw and no miracle came, sending Jim out, and putting Candy and Bearded Mike into the TOC.

Sean started with the chip-lead on me and won after a huge, enormous, crushing hit-out....um, actually it was a 60/40 hand and if I won it he still would have had the chip lead. Anyway, second put me ahead of Phil in points, and first pushed Sean all the way to second ahead of Tim and Brando who were tied.

Sean also became about the 10th winner in GPT history to be photographed with Malcolm X - way to go Sean!

Year of the Woman in the GPT

The GPT hosted its first weekend HORSE tournament with 45-minute blind levels, three games per level, 3,000 in chips, and dealer’s choice for the cash places in a set-up truly designed for skill players. Despite that, the 12-person field was our lowest of the year. For the most part, the early exits were from those who needed the points. Jim followed his Stud victory in Event 11 with a quick exit, and was the first out by over an hour. Tim, the only early departure who didn’t need to pick up points, went out next. He would be waiting a very long time.

After being crippled by Candy in Stud/8 hand while holding A345 with three diamonds on fourth street, Bearded Mike got AI in hold’em with two overs against Baklava’s tens, and was out in 10th. Baklava, who came over an hour late (and still had a chip edge over two people when he showed up) went out next, followed by Pablo and then Phil, who started the week within a point of each other. With the final six set, Brando was once again in the thick of things, along with Hank, both Seans, Lee and Candy.

Brandon was next to go though and it was almost time for dealer’s choice. Sean SP busted on the bubble leaving the cash players to battle in dealer’s choice. Hank got all-in several times and relied on Stud/8 as his game of choice. Both Candy and Hank were obliged to add triple draw to the rotation, but had no further takers. Hank finally came up short to go out fourth for his eighth cash of the year, and a lock on Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.

After Sean went out the showdown was set between Candy, a Season 2 Champion, and Lee, a self-described limit specialist. Lee came at her with chips, and Candy played great – “to be fair,” that description was from her husband, who may be biased. After waiting four hours he likely was giddy just to see the tournament end.



















Candy’s win, her second of the season, propelled her to the hunt for the Tournament of Champions – anything less than the top two probably would have sealed her fate. It’s not over of course with Jim merely one point behind, and with Candy in striking distance of two players. Candy’s win also means the only two repeat winners of the season are women. Brando’s late-season surge puts him at second just ahead of Tim, and with an eye towards a large ToC chip stack.

In the current Top 8, only Phil and Pablo haven’t won an event yet. They have one more chance on December 3 when the final even will be short-handed hold’em at Bearded Mike’s. We’ll also have our award presentation for Player of the Year, and the event will decide the Tournament of Champions line-up as well as their relative stacks.

Happy Thanksgiving – enjoy the land you stole from Bearded Mike’s peeps.

Yes I will update the site soon

Jim won Stud for his first title of the year adding to one runner-up.

Candy won HORSE for her second title, meaning the only two repeat winners this season are both women.

The following men will have something to do about that on December 3:
Hank
Brandon
Tim
Sean
Bearded Mike
Jim
Baklava
JD
Sean

Shelley – First Repeat Champion

Sean SP ended the rebuy period with a huge stack and wielded it mercilessly for hours Sunday. He entered the final table still in the lead. With six left, Bearded Mike, Brandon, and Candy were all short-stacked. Bearded Mike was the first to go followed shortly thereafter by Candy, but Brandon bucked the short-stack and put himself in contention to repeat as O/8 champion.

Pablo somewhat dodged the Curse of the Chip Scout when he cashed, finishing in fourth place. Brandon eventually went out third after a valiant comeback, setting up the heads-up match between Shelley and Sean. Sean continued to bully with his stack, but being a split pot game, Shelley hung in. Sean suffered a couple of brutal beats, including the last hand. When a 6 hit the turn Shelley made her low resigning Sean to half the pot with his set of jacks. After he said “damn, we’re going to chop again,” Shelley noted her wheal draw – “give me a four and it’s over.” Done.

Early exits by Jim, Phil, and Baklava and Brandon’s strong charge shook up the rankings this week. Hank and Tim still enjoy sizable leads, but Brando’s back-to-back cashes put him decisively in third place. Pablo, Phil, and Bearded Mike follow separated by only two points. While Jim currently holds the eighth spot, Baklava and Candy are within four points of him. The bad news: at Bearded Mike’s current rate the TOC will have to find a new venue this year...

Candy and Phil are World Famous

Next upload - Hank's ballz.

Nine Events, Nine Champions

Season two continued to be far different from season one, when a handful of people scored repeated titles. In our ninth event the GPT crowned our ninth Champion, furthering the broad distribution of Championship chips. Sean came into the final table with a nice stack and rode it to the final four. However, some draws hit against him and knocked him out in fourth.

But not before he hit out on Hank and crippled him. Hank eventually went out in third. Brando and Phil battled for about an hour, with Brando hitting several draws against made hands. In the final hand Phil missed drawing to a 7 with six-high and a gut-shot, and paired his 2.

The next tournament is Saturday and Lance will be here for Omaha/8. Note, the final four tournaments of the season are now scheduled.

Finally, the Fall 2006 Edition

We had a disappointing turnout for Hold’em – 18. Still, it was good for a $450 total payout, 28 points for first place, and four Shooting Stars chips for Hank, Tim, Pablo, and Sean. On a flop of K, 4, 7 Sean got his money in with a pair of kings, but Scott hit runner-runner straight and drew first blood on a Star. Two shooting went head-to-head next when Hank put Tim all-in, and Tim announced “I have to call we’re racing” and flipped over 8s. Hank had jacks, and collected Tim’s chip. Pablo was the next falling star when he was cold-decked with wired kings against Phil’s aces. Finally, Hank went in as a short stack at the final table with AT and was called by Jim’s enormous stack and his pair stood up.

Shelly was first out and got the Herradura shot when she went all-in with a king high flush against chip leader and habitual better Jim, who held the nut flush. Jason “I Only Play Hold’em” came fresh from the Canadian WPT event and bubbled. Brandon went out fifth. Scott donked off much of his stack when he called Bearded Mike’s AI with aces holding KQ, and finished only with a pair of kings. A few hands later he went AI with 6s and was insta-called by jacks and finished fourth in only his second appearance of the year.

Phil made a cute-raise with 98 from the button and Jim called, and the flop came KJ6. Jim checked, Phil moved all-in, and Jim insta-called with a set of sixes. At the start of heads-up, Bearded Mike had a 3-to-2 chip lead which quickly turned. Jim bluffed BM off of a set with a pair of 9s and took the chip lead. After another seesaw, Jim moved in on a king high flop with two spades, and Bearded Mike called with QJ of spades and missed. In the final hand both players limped and the flop came 234 with two diamonds. Bet, raise, AI, call – Jim held 62 for a pair and a gut-shot, and Bearded Mike held 34 for two pair, which held up.

After knocking Pablo out, Phil caught up in points to tie him for fourth. Jim’s second-place moved him up to fifth. Brando’s cash puts him at sixth on the year, and Baklava and Sean are tied for the last spot. Bearded Mike’s win moved him up to third, and Hank and Tim held on to their first and second-place spots.





Next tournament is next Sunday – deuce-to-seven triple draw.

Razzmatazz Pictures

Jaso finishes 2nd in his first tournament with us....He will probably show up again....

Tim* wins his 1st chip (See the movie 61* for explanation of *)

This picture explains why I feel the way I do today......Nice work GPT...

Timmy Chops With a Rookie

We had 15 for Razz which is probably a record - both for Razz and for a weeknight. We had plenty of beer and Hank got tanked, and went out early for him, just making the final table.

Tim was desparate for a chip to put next to Candy's, and chopped with Jaso the rookie despite a big chip lead. I wish I could give more details, but I was playing a separate game since Chris is a hit-out artist and busted me - mostly in a hand when I wasn't even at at the table, but that's another story.

If you know more about how things went late, comments are enabled, so post them yourself.

I don't know the next tournament, or if I'm ever playing in the GPT again, so be patient.

From the producer of Scary Movie 4

No really, and Airplane and The Naked Gun.

Awesome.

Nice fold me

Glad i folded on the turn....

74...Always play it

Yet another reason to always play 74 offsuit....

Oh and yes, I am millencolin7, the chipleader at the table ....

Finally – Hank Wins Season’s First Limit Event

Despite being the POTY points leader, Hank had yet to score a Champion’s Chip this season. That changed last night when he got his drink on and donked his way through five levels without moving many chips. The starting field of 12 didn’t lose a player until the fifth level, and it took three hours to lose two players. The tables consolidated at eight, and as the picture below demonstrates, Hank got serious.

Sean added to his recent championship with a cash. Keith pulled out of his no-limit tailspin to take third place and score some real points. The heads-up battle between Hank and Pablo lasted over an hour, with limits finally frozen at 1000/2000. With only 24,000 chips in play, a lot of chips moved. Pablo was down to less than 2,000 at one point and battled back to about 8,500. Hank (claims he) was free-rolling several times again Pablo with half the pot won and a draw to a scoop, but Pablo consistently avoided disaster. Finally, Hank hit a monster draw when he rivered a 5 for a wheel.

There is no game this weekend. Send an e-mail to gainesvillepokertour@yahoo.com if you are interested in a cash game Saturday night – please identify yourself in the e-mail. Event 7 – Razz – will be next week at Hank’s house.

Come to Stud/8 or We'll Shoot This Dog

KCL - Tens Wins

We had a nice turnout for KCL but it sucks because I didn’t win. Thirteen tied for lowest turnout, but it still pretty healthy. Baklava and Tim built nice stacks coming into the final table. POY points leader Hank was an early departure, although not before Keith made it two tournaments, two first-outs.

Chris worked a short-stack but finished on the bubble, just behind Pablo, who scored his second cash of the season. With three left, hold’em champ Baklava had the chip lead and an edge over Tim (one cash, two bubbles) and Sean. Tim made plans to place his Championship chip next to Candy’s on the mantle, but Sean knocked Tim out and a long see-saw battle ensured with blinds still at 500/1000.

Sean’s 98 came up short against Baklava’s 97 and Baklava took the chip lead. The momentum shifted when Sean bet after the draw and Baklava made a crying call with “show me a ten.” Sean did no oblige, and showed down a 97 to edge Bak’s 98. On the final hand, Sean threw paint and drew to a ten, and Baklava three two to his 345. Sean paired his ten, but Bak hit cards on either side of his three to give him a straight, and Sean took the title with a pair of tens.


Stud/8 is this Thursday at Hank’s house at 7 p.m. Since this is a limit event, there are no rebuys. If you expect to be late, send someone with your money and you can get a seat and be blinded off until you get there. You can’t come late.

P.S. Hank will be drinking.

The Quality Of Players

Congrats Sean....I am posting this in serious tone although I know that it is hard to take me very seriously....This season point wise is tight and many of the top 8 were not in it last year...I feel that the quality of the players in our league has improved an unbelievable amount....This is why I love poker and not just holdem....too truly master the game, you must master all of them....Any schmuck can win holdem once, but to be good at all of them shows that you can play any game with anyone....give action to get action....We have had 5 events and no one has won more then one tournament....and I have won zero....I am excited to finish out this season and although I talk a mad amount of crap, I feel that this season is up for grabs by anyone at this point...I also am glad to see that the lowest number of people that have shown up to a tournament is 13...Thats unreal....Congrats to all and thanks for making it hard as hell to win one this year....Although I hate not winning, I would much rather win against a field that is as good as ours then win multiple tournaments against wanks that dont know how to play....

Hank

Famous Steal Attempts in 74 History

"Thought you might appreciate this (matt didn't). Was short-stacked, hadn't played a hand in forever and tried to steal the blinds and was called by AKo."

For the record, if you try to steal with 74 and get called by AK, you can just write "AK" - the offsuit part is superfluous. You have 7-high!

Great job Dog!

No Draw for Shelley "The Heat"

For the second week in a row we had a lucky number 13 for a tourney. Five card draw is always Hank’s tournament to lose as he’s the only GPT member who plays it online for money. Event 4 start predictably, with Hank crushing. Once again, Table 2 was the action table, which seems to happen no matter what the line-up. Table 1 had only three re-buys, making a move to table 2 practically a death sentence, although JD managed to survive the move and wind up at the final table, and on the edge of cashing.


Hank and Tim amassed huge chip stacks coming into the final table. After dispensing with some smaller stacks, the final eight was whittled down to five. JD survived a couple of all-ins but was finally forced to push with an AK draw and ran into Tim’s aces in the big blind. The previous perennial Bubble Boy knocked JD out after he failed to improve. Coming into the final four, Bearded Mike was short-stacked, and Shelley “The Heat” was slightly behind Hank and Tim.

Bearded Mike searched for a hand to move in with, and finally picked up aces facing a raise from Hank. After moving all-in he failed to improved, and Hank knocked him out with a dealt two-pair. Of course, he did so in his normal sportsmanlike fashion. Three-way, Hank was the chip leader and Shelley had a slight edge on Tim. And then time practically stopped. The three played for an hour before the blinds were frozen at 1000/2000, and Tim was whittled down to 10,000 and eventually forced to move in. He was knocked out by The Heat.

Heads-up didn’t last all that long. After Hank and Shelley got all-in before the draw, Shelley turned over a dealt straight and said “do what you want.” Seeing a five in Shelley’s hand, Hank broke his (monster) pair, and drew live to three hearts. The first card off was the fourth heart. The final card was the 3c and The Heat took down the title and the coveted GPT Champion’s Chip. And a few bucks.

With four tournaments in the bag, Hank has once again separated himself from the field with 71 points. GPT rookie JD is in second place with 58 points. Tim’s first cash of the season lifted him to third with 48 points. After that the race gets tight. Event 1 winner Baklava missed Omaha and was busted by Hank’s massive stack early in level four after he showed up five minutes before the end of the rebuy period. Nine points separate 10th place from Baklava’s fourth place spot.

Event 5, Kansas City Lowball, will be Sunday October 1 at 2pm.

Special bonus for website readers – post a comment that flames Hank, and post your name/nickname, and the House will pick-up the vig Sunday. Yeah, it’s only a dollar, but flaming Hank is fun too, so it’s win-win.

Cardplayer Profile

Cardplayer review of poker in Gainesville

The question is how someone could do a profile on poker here and not interview Hank? Or at least someone else who plays poker "like it's his job," or who played in the Series.

She's not in our games, why?

Me Beating Hank in Omaha

JD Takes Event 3 (Omaha)

The Rookie Run continued this weekend as JD added a first-place to Sean's earlier second-place finish. With a relatively small field the final table started after three exits. After the 10th place departure the field narrowed quickly. This week's Cash Couple were Pablo and Gracie, but once again the woman outlasted the man, with Pablo taking fourth. Hank "Here is my Plan" went out third and the HU battle was JD vs. Gracie, with JD taking the title.

And if you look closely you'll see the only instance of JD smiling...



Hank still has no chip for the season, but his goal of cashing in every tourney is in tact.

The season race is still tight. Baklava falls to third after missing this week. Pablo moves to fourth just ahead of Tim and Phil. Three players are tied for the eighth and final TOC spot - Gracy, Jim, and SeanSP. And finally, I'm going to make a tourney one day soon - maybe Five Card Draw. Look for the guy with the T-shirt that says "Bearded Mike is a bitch and not even in the Top 8."

Thanks again to Sean for hosting - I heard it was a great location with a full side game shortly after the final table began.

Omaha This Weekend - Here Is My Plan

Just so everyone knows, I plan on winning the Omaha tournament....Its not even close to my best game, but its fate....

I Want Candy...To Beat Hank

And she did, along with everyone else in Event Two (Ace-to-Five Triple Draw). The first couple to break up at the table was Pablo (Long Shot) and Robin (Gracie), followed by Timmy and Candy, and finally Hank and Bearded Mike.



















After getting down to five players the pace dragged on, hindered in part by a 15 minute visit from a sheriff's deputy (unrelated to the game - really...). Timmy busted out on the bubble to get to the four cash finishes. After riding about 8,000 chips all the way from the end of the re-buy period, Bearded Mike finally went out went his 7 came up just short to Candy’s wheal – which she held from the deal.

Candy started the end of the re-buy period with a big chip lead, but fluctuated widely after that. By the time it got down to three she had the chip lead once again. Hank gambled with her with a big draw, but came up short and busted out in third. Phil started heads-up with a big chip deficit, and didn’t wait long to stick it in. And lose. Candy won the top prize and the coveted Champions Chip, which Timmy swears he’s not letting her display.

Baklava finished well enough to maintain the top spot after two tourneys, although he still left mad (he went out after two consecutive beats, the second one administered by Hank “I’m not going for fourth” who decided to gamble with an inferior draw). Hank made his way into second. Beyond that it’s a pretty tight race with two new players tied at 28 points and in the Top 8.

Candy won "Hank's chip" - which he coveted a great deal. Also Tim swore he would not let her display it.


The next tournament will be Omaha on Saturday at 2pm, and will be hosted at one of our new GPT locales – Sean’s place. Directions will be in the forthcoming e-mail.

Baklava Takes Event 1...Again

This was Baklava after Event 1 in the Spring:




















This is Baklava after Event 1 in the Fall:


GPT "Rookie" Sean SP took 2nd.



The start of the Fall season saw several new faces and a lot of returning ones. Of course, we all mourned the loss of T-Bone, who has moved farther south. His bold bluffs and copious eyebrows will be missed.


TOC player Keith K-Dogg shattered the re-buy record on Sunday with a stunning 14 re-buys. With his add-on, he would have just doubled his money by winning the whole thing. Instead, he was the first person out after the re-buy session expired (one player withdrew before that point). If memory serves, that’s the same fate that befell the previous record-holder. The top five finishers, who took home a combined $440, collectively bought if for the same $85 as K-Dogg.


Several new players did well yesterday with Sean SP and his wife Julie making the last six. The final table included three new players and seven returners. Lee was the first off the final table, followed shortly by Phil Frenchie. Next out was Tim Blue Steel and then LongShot Pablo.

Julie went out of the bubble after battling with the short-stack for much of the final table. Big Jim was the first out in the money and scored 19 points for the day. After bobbing and weaving for about two hours, Hank SPF 60 went out next, followed by JD. On a flop of TTJ Baklava and Sean got all-in, with Baklava holding a better kicker and Sean drawing for three outs.

You want Mike to put it where?


Shelley "The Heat"


Frenchie Phil


And finally, in a surprise to no one: